Ghosts and Bullies
by Jaxxy
Summary: The A-Listers decided to pick on someone else for a change, and Skulker decided to hunt someone else for a change. Oneshot. Non-pairing.


Today was like any other Monday in Casper High school. Exhausted teens shuffled their way through the halls, groaning about the long week ahead of them. Danny Fenton, along with his friends Tucker and Sam, were amongst the students of the living dead, blinking their bleary eyes as they struggled to get through their day.

Danny was especially exhausted. He had stayed up late tracking and fighting Skulker, and the hunter seemed to have his sights on another piece of prey as it were, yet it didn't mean Danny could take it easy. Whatever Skulker was searching for, wasn't found in the end. It was a rough battle, and Danny finally ended it with the Thermos and tiredly flew himself home.

With a few hours of sleep on a Monday, things did not fare well for the ghost boy.

Each period moved like molasses on a hot day, painfully slow and boring. Lunch was a bit better as he got to relax and chat with Sam and Tucker, who weren't any worse for wear yet had more energy than he did.

They left the cafeteria early in order to beat the crowd when the bell rang. Others had the same idea, stopping by their lockers or the water fountains for a good last minute chat session.

Danny turned the corner, Tucker and Sam in tow. Up ahead he could see the A-listers gathered in one spot, huddled close together. Ignoring them and hoping they did the same, the trio rounded around them, giving plenty of room in case Dash decided it was time to pick on the geeks.

When Danny assumed they were just talking, Tucker had said, "Hey, look." The ghost boy halted and turned, gazing in the direction that Tucker pointed in.

Although the A-Listers huddled close, there was a small enough space to see an unfamiliar figure.

"Could be a new member to their group," Danny said with a shrug. "What about it?"

Tucker shook his head. "No, listen."

Danny tilted his head, and focused on the group a little more. Their stances were intimidating, and dominant. Their faces covered in wicked grins, glaring at whoever stood amongst them.

"Ooh, where'd you get that outfit, from a run-down trailer park?" Paulina sneered.

"Hey guys, look at me! I'm from Texas, so I'm a toughie even though I'm a midget!" Dash laughed, using the baby voice he'd used to mock Danny many a-time.

The rest of them erupted into laughter. Another voice roared, "Shut UP!" and suddenly Dash stumbled backwards. For the first time, the new person was in clear sight. It was a girl, a lot shorter than the rest of them. She had black hair pulled back into a ponytail, dark skin, and was dressed in dark blue jeans and a lighter blue flannel. Her gloved hands were held out; making it obvious she pushed Dash. Her violet eyes were narrowed, and she immediately got into a defensive stance, gritting her teeth.

"Should we do something?" Tucker asked, glancing back at his two friends.

"I…" Danny began. No one really ever stood up to Dash and his posse when it came to their bullying, especially since Dash was at least 6 feet tall and packed some muscle underneath his Letterman jacket. The only way Danny could best Dash was with his ghost powers. This girl, who was at least a head shorter than Paulina, was able to physically force him away. "It looks like she can handle herself." Danny observed, and was partially glad for that, as he had no energy to deal with bullies at the moment.

As Dash struggled to regain balance, the others closed in on her, tugging on her shirt, pulling at her arms and hair. They jeered at her as she backed into a corner, yet her glare never leaving her face.

"Maybe not," Sam spoke, marching forward with a look of determination.

"Sam, wait-" Danny began to say, but Sam kept going. She forced her way through the crowd and stood next to the new girl, glaring defiantly at them.

"What's your deal?" Sam demanded, silencing the A-listers and grabbing the girl by the arm, attempting to lead her away. "Just leave her alone."

Oooooh!" the A-listers chorused. "Looks like hillbilly freak got the Goth freak as a protector!"

The girl's expression went from surprise to annoyance. She ripped her arm from Sam's grip and snapped, "Back off, Goth princess!"

Sam looked utterly taken aback, and was promptly shoved aside by the shorter girl. Danny, his energy suddenly heightened, frowned and stepped forward, ready to defend his friend.

"Hey, she was only trying to help!" He called out, folding his arms and scowling at her. The A-listers stepped back, their amusement plain on their faces.

"Did I ASK for help?!" She exclaimed in a strong Southern accent, storming up to Danny.

"There's nothing wrong with being helpful regardless." Tucker pointed out, standing off to the side.

The girl glared at Tucker for a second, before glancing between Danny and Sam. "I don't need no charity, I coulda handled it myself!" She hissed.

"No need to get angry," Sam countered, scowling. "What's wrong with having a little help?"

"I tell YOU what," the girl growled, shoving her finger to Sam's face. "You made me look weak! I ain't weak!"

Danny started forward, genuinely concerned in case this girl would shove Sam again, or worse. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey take it easy! Just chill!"

She swiveled around, smacking his hand off and meeting his gaze, her glare cold. Danny stood his ground, glaring right back.

"I was doing just fine before you three showed up." She spat.

"It didn't look that way from our point of view," Tucker added. "It kind of looked like they were about to lay a smack-down."

"You don't know jack about me," she hissed, stepping back and placing her hands on her hips. "Just know that I don't appreciate people yankin' me out of my own battles!"

"Okay we get it! We'll leave you alone." Sam responded, rolling her eyes and shooting a glance at her friends.

"Good! Next time you pull a stunt like that, I won't let you off so easily!" The girl exclaimed, spinning on her heel and stomping away, shoving her way through the spectators that had gathered.

The trio watched her leave, and Danny chuckled once without humor. "That was letting us off easy?"

"Who was she, anyway?" Tucker asked, looking confused. "I've never seen her before."

"You geeks are slow. That's the new girl, Michelle Durante," A new voice said, the trio looked up to see Dash and his group still standing just a few feet away. "She thinks she's all that because she's from Texas."

"Her outfit is terrible too," Paulina said, her nose wrinkled in disgust. "I'm surprised she'd even show her face in this place with that get-up."

Sam scoffed. She looked thoroughly annoyed from the encounter, yet obviously didn't approve of the A-listers' judgment. She turned away from them, facing the boys. "It's not every day that happens." She commented.

"You gotta admit though, it made Monday a bit less boring." Tucker piped up with a grin.

Danny rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh. He'd much rather have a ghost fight than get into a spat with some random girl over something so little. He had to admit though; this Michelle had to be tough as nails to stand up to the entire popular crowd. If she weren't so violent, he'd hold a bit of respect for her. At the moment, he hoped he wouldn't run into her again.

Overhead, the bell rang. The students that gathered reluctantly broke into smaller groups, headed to their different classes.

"Guess that our cue." Sam said with a heavy sigh.

Danny and Tucker nodded. As the excitement of the event settled down, the three carried on with their Monday.

**Sunday…**

The moon shone brightly, casting a silver hue amongst the buildings of Amity Park, the lights blinking out one by one as its citizens turned in to their beds. One window sat open, a teenaged girl sat on the windowsill, her leg swinging back and forth in the air lazily as she stared out into the distance.

How different this place was from Sierra Blanca. She once lived in a town, located in the desert of West Texas. Her hometown was small, quiet and homely, whereas this city was huge, noisy and busy. The acrid smell of buses hung in the air, and sounds of car horns echoed in the distance. Every once in a while she'd hear sirens zooming down the street, their lights flashing momentarily before disappearing into the industrial abyss. Such a large change from the near silent nights she was used to, where the crickets chirped and the faint sounds of other wildlife would occasionally crop up like a natural lullaby.

She glanced back at her room. They've been there for about four days now, most of her stuff still in boxes out of pure reluctance to call this place home. The farthest she'd gotten was covering her bed with her sheets and placing her clothes into her dresser. On the wall perpendicular to her, hung a large Texas flag. She sighed and leaned her head back on the window frame, closing her eyes and blocking out the image of the stinky city, imagining her true home. The last few weeks felt like a dream, surreal in a way. Her release from the hospital to the grave news her mother had delivered. The boxes stacked into a moving van to watching her house disappear against the tan horizon. Crossing state lines to see the large, looming city in the distance.

The sound of her door opening snapped her out of her reverie. "Michelle?" a voice sounded, and she looked over. Her mother, Amelia, stood in her doorway.

"Yeah?" she mumbled.

Amelia wiped sweat from her brow. She wore a simple light blue blouse and black skinny jeans, both stained with grayish-tan dust. Her curled, dark brown hair was pulled in a bun, some tendrils hanging out. "Nat and I just finished setting up the living room. Have you-" she paused and scanned around her daughter's room and frowned at the sight of all the boxes. "You haven't unpacked a thing!"

"Not true, I took out my sheets," Michelle countered halfheartedly, pointing at her bed. "And my clothes."

Her mother sighed heavily. "We've been here four days and nothing's moved since then."

As Michelle opened her mouth to answer, a younger figure appeared around her mother. It was her twelve year old sister, Natalie. Her clothes were just as dusty as their mother's and her black hair stuck out wildly from a loose ponytail. "Mom, I'm hungry!" she complained.

Amelia glanced at Natalie, and then to Michelle. "Michelle, why don't you get us some dinner, since you didn't seem to do anything today." She commented in a steely tone, not unlike the way she would speak when working her job as a cop.

"Sure." Michelle sighed, hopping down from her window and turned toward it, her muscles tensing. "I'll just-"

"NOT that way," Amelia interrupted in a disapproving tone. "That fast food place-the Nasty Burger I think? It's only a few blocks away. You will walk." She pulled out a $20 from her wallet.

Michelle sighed heavily. She turned and marched forward, reaching out and taking the money. "Yeah yeah."

"Take Natalie with you," Amelia instructed. "So she can get what she wants."

Michelle grunted in response and trotted past her mother, and Natalie immediately followed. She trudged down the stairs and crossed the living room, now fully set up, the empty boxes stacked in the corner. She opened the door and stepped out.

* * *

Danny Phantom flew around the skies, observing from the rooftops, keeping an eye for any ghosts that decided to escape the portal that night. He had an hour before his curfew set in effect, and figured he might as well use his time wisely.

As he flew around, he kept glancing at his chest. The new insignia sat on his chest, placed there a mere week ago by Sam. He was still adjusting to it, and his enemies began to take notice of it. It made him feel kind of like a superhero.

Hopefully the citizens of Amity Park will start seeing him as such too.

The airspace seemed clear tonight, thankfully. Danny didn't feel like fighting, especially on a Sunday night. He turned and began to fly back home, until something, bright and metallic against the ink black sky, caught his eye. He turned and could see a familiar figure in the distance-Skulker. Danny's muscles tensed, getting ready to fight. However, Skulker didn't seem to notice him, not even facing his direction. The hunter flew downward, and Danny squinted…he seemed to be after something. Concerned, Danny followed after. Skulker descended into an alleyway and Danny hovered a good few yards away. The hunter looked around, scanning the dark area.

"Where are you…?" Skulker rumbled.

Where was who, or what? Danny wandered. Maybe another ghost, a unique animal that decided to wander from the portal? Either way, if whatever Skulker was hunting decided to show up, both would be sent back to the Ghost Zone, no questions asked.

As Danny's fists powered up with ectoplasm, a small monitor with a glowing green screen popped out of Skulker's armor. Danny couldn't see the details, and a beep emitted from it before it folded back into the metal. Skulker grinned and took off in the opposite direction. "I have you now."

Surprised, Danny followed after him.

* * *

"Michelle, you're lost, aren't you?" Natalie groaned, looking up to her sister. They were stopped at an intersection, standing underneath a streetlight with a few bags of food.

"No!" Michelle snapped. "I'm just…trying to remember which way we turned from." She looked up at the street signs, and her heart sank. None of them looked familiar.

"You're lost." Natalie stated, folding her arms. "Good job Michelle, five blocks from home and you manage to get us lost!"

"Shut it!" Michelle growled, rounding on her sister. "Since you're so smart, why don't you lead us home then?" when Natalie didn't speak, Michelle added, "Exactly!"

The younger girl sighed. "Why don't you just call mom and tell her to pick us up?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, what good will that do since we live here now?" her tone held acidity. "I'll figure this out…" she silently cursed herself for not paying attention to street signs and cast her gaze upward at the night sky. The air was clear, and everyone was inside by now… she felt her energy tingling in her veins, as if waiting for a release. Just once couldn't hurt... Amelia's harsh words shot through her mind like a bullet, and she shoved it away quickly. It's not like she was going to do anything reckless... She grabbed Natalie's hand and pulled her into a nearby dark alley.

"Hey, where are we going?" Natalie exclaimed as she nearly lost her balance from her sister's strong pull.

"Shh!" Michelle hushed. The alley was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from the moon that partially peeked over the rooftops. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A sudden rush of energy erupted from the core of her body, spiraling outward. A flash of golden light illuminated the alley, and just as quickly as the rush of energy came, it disappeared at in instant. She opened her eyes, observing a faint glow that radiated from her skin, a familiar aura that now encompassed her body. Her regular jeans and flannel shirt were replaced by a black vest and a belly-baring shirt underneath, black gym shorts with purple-tipped edges, and matching thigh-high cowboy boots. A lock of her hair fell in her face, its color a golden orange rather than the usual black. She clenched her fingerless gloved fists in pure joy and she grinned to herself, not having been able to feel the surge of her power in weeks.

Natalie gasped, her eyes wide and mouth gaping. "You're not supposed to do that! Mom said!"

Michelle turned her attention to her sister, her eyes glowed a bright violet. "What mom doesn't know won't hurt her. Come on." She squatted slightly, turning her back to Natalie, who reluctantly jumped on. Once she was secure, Michelle took off into the air.

* * *

At some point, Danny had lost Skulker, either the hunter knew he was being followed or Danny was just that bad at tracking. He picked up Skulker's trail again when he heard faint explosions a few blocks away, and wasted no time in rushing over there. It took him a few moments, and the first thing he saw was a collapsed street light and craters in the sidewalk, smoking from whatever hit them. From where he was, Danny could also see two people, one shorter than the other, hurriedly heading inside a house, scared off by Skulker no doubt. Now it was time to attack.

"Trying to hunt humans now, are ya? Did you get bored of hunting me or something?" Danny called out, getting the Hunter's attention.

Skulker turned around, his expression of frustration melted into a grin. "Maybe the hunt hasn't ended yet."

"It has for you!" Danny challenged, throwing an ectoblast at him, in which Skulker dodged with ease. The brawl had begun.

* * *

Michelle soared over the rooftops, feeling the cool wind blow on her face. Natalie clung tightly, her eyes practically bulging as she tried not to look down.

"How can you stand this?!" Natalie squeaked, terrified.

Michelle laughed. "You get used to it, that's how!"

"And how are we supposed to find our house this way?" Natalie asked.

"Flying's faster than walking," Michelle stated. "Plus, I'd be able to recognize mom's truck, even from up here."

"Great, then I won't have to look." Natalie said with a sarcastic, yet trembling voice. She buried her face into the back of Michelle's neck.

Michelle only responded with another laugh as she banked around a particularly tall building, earning a yelp from her little sister as Natalie's grip tightened significantly.

Up ahead, Michelle spotted a familiar building, and out front sat an even more familiar dark blue truck. Even from here, she could recognize the Texas plates. She exhaled in relief, knowing she didn't have to explain to her mother why she was late, and avoiding the embarrassment of explaining why she got lost only five blocks from home.

She began to descend, wanting to land just a few houses away in case her mother was looking out the window somewhere. She was just a few yards away from the sidewalk-

"Michelle, look out!" She heard Natalie scream. The ghost girl only had time to glance to narrowly miss some sort of missile that headed her way.

The explosive whistled past her, it smashing into a street light just a few feet ahead. The metal groaned and collapsed like a fallen tree, twisted wiring sticking out and sparking.

"Whoa!" Michelle exclaimed, stopping abruptly. "What the heck?"

She turned around, her eyes searching wildly. Straight ahead was what looked like a...floating robot with fiery green hair? It had its arm up, a contraption sitting upon its metallic limb with more missiles. She could see a smirk on its face as it took aim at her. Uh oh.

"Nat, run!" Michelle hissed, touching to the ground.

Natalie hopped off and looked up at her sister, wide-eyed and terrified. "What about you?" Natalie demanded.

"I'll be fine, just get yourself safe!" Michelle responded quickly, shoving Natalie away, towards the house. She spun back around to see that the strange looking robot was gone. She blinked. "Huh?"

She heard a faint whistle from her left, and she dodged just in time to avoid another missile. It exploded on the sidewalk beside her, leaving a small crater in the cement. Michelle regained her balance and spun on her heel, the robot once again making itself known.

"Yo!" Michelle shouted at it, glowering and clenching her fists. "What's the big idea?! Don't you know not to attack kids?"

"I am Skulker, Ghost Zone's greatest hunter!" The robot bellowed in a deep voice. Michelle now could see the various bits of weaponry attached to his body. So it wasn't a robot, it was a ghost!

"Oh come on!" Michelle complained, throwing her arms upward in exasperation. "All I wanted to do was get some food, not become food!"

"You won't be anything but a pelt on my wall." Skulker answered, his pupil-less green eyes flashing, and suddenly something shot from his arm. It wasn't missile, more like a net that had a bright green aura. Michelle's hand fired up with bright orange flames and swung her fist, a disc of fire hurtling toward the net. The net dissolved in the air as the blazing disc collided with it, and Michelle grinned.

"Gonna have to try better than that!" She called out.

Skulker grumbled something and suddenly disappeared from view, and Michelle's heart sank. Knowing he'd turned invisible, she looked around wildly anyway, trying to catch a glimpse of the hunter. However, he was nowhere in sight. It was now awfully quiet, except for the sound of her heart quickening. Cold sweat formed on her forehead and on her palms, as if it was even possible for someone who had the powers of a ghost. The hairs on the back of her neck pricked and uneasiness writhed in her stomach like a handful of worms. Should she run or stay?

"Is he gone?" Squeaked a tiny, frightened voice from behind her. Michelle turned to see Natalie peeking out from behind a trashcan in the alley nearby.

"I…don't know." Michelle admitted. Her house was just within a stone's throw from here. She could make a break for it, grab Natalie and head for the safety of the indoors, but what if Skulker followed her in, tried to hurt her mom and Natalie...?

The uneasiness didn't fade, ad she knew for certain she was being watched. Her heart pounded a mile a minute, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. If this hunter wanted her skin, he needed to fight for it. At this point, she didn't care if her mother caught her like this; she was only trying to defend herself as Natalie.

Almost instantly, something solid slammed into her back, and she was sent sailing half a block away, and she could not focus enough to let her body levitate. The ground was hurtling toward her much too quickly, and she could only throw her arms up before landing stomach first on the concrete, skidding across the hard surface, feeling the stinging pain of scrapes and scratches on her bare skin. As she came to a halt, she rolled on her back and looked ahead. Just where she had been standing, now hovered Skulker, his leg up as evidence that he had kicked her. He grinned and shot more missiles toward her.

Michelle gasped and closed her eyes, knowing she wasn't quick enough to dodge the oncoming attacks. She waited for the explosions, the pains, yet none came. Instead, she found herself sinking into the ground. She opened her eyes and realized she was in some sort of sewer system.

Aw, gross! She thought in disgust, but it gave her enough time to figure out what to do. There was a grate up ahead, moonlight shining through. She vaguely remembered seeing part of it when Natalie spoke to her just a moment earlier, hidden in darkness yet easy to spot for her ghostly enhanced vision. Acting fast, she flew toward it. Overhead, she heard Skulker's shout of rage. She flinched and looked behind her just in case he followed her down. She was rewarded with her body slamming into something solid. She groaned from the impact and looked up, realizing she'd flown straight into the wall, however the grate was just above her, the moonlight shining like a beacon. She immediately phased herself upward, through the thick, rusting bars. As her feet touched the ground, she inched further into the alley, out of the light and into darkness. She didn't stop until she squeezed herself behind a dumpster, attempting to catch her breath. If he could track her, this was only a temporary solution. Would she be running all night until she was forced to fight him directly? Suddenly, a light bulb went off inside her mind. If he was after ghosts, then...

"Change back, change back!" Michelle hissed to herself, willing to be human once again. The same flash of energy erupted throughout her body, and in an instant, the extra strength she felt was gone, and she realized how much she ached. She leaned against the wall, feeling utterly exhausted, her back painful from where Skulker kicked her, the raw sting from skidding across the sidewalk on her chest and stomach. She could hear blood running in her ears as her heart pounded, so loud she thought the hunter would hear.

"Michelle?" Michelle turned her head to see Natalie, or her silhouette. Not being a ghost meant normal, nearly sightless night vision, she thought.

"It's okay, Nat," Michelle said wearily. "He didn't get me."

Natalie's figure scrambled toward her and barreled into her, the younger girl's arms clinging almost painfully tight. Michelle's wounds protested strongly, yet the older girl didn't care. "I thought he got you! All I saw was those rockets heading toward you and a cloud of dust!" Natalie's voice came out in a panicked whisper.

Michelle was about to answer, when a trickle of heat protruded her spine, and orange smoke curled out of her mouth, disappearing into the blackness of the night. She immediately looked up to see Skulker had reappeared, and she automatically tensed. However, he wasn't looking at them. In fact, he looked confused and frustrated.

"Let's go." Michelle whispered urgently, grabbing her sister's hand and rushing out of the alley. Her feet hit the ground hard as she sprinted as fast as she could, Natalie just a step behind her, trying to make it just three houses down yet it felt like a mile to her. She didn't look back to see if Skulker decided to pursue or not, and finally reached the stoop, only slowing down to throw open the door and slam it behind them.

* * *

Danny was growing wearier by the minute. His body ached where Skulker had hit him multiple times, although the hunter bore marks of Danny's doing as well. His armor was depleting, low on ammo, and Danny was fully aware of that. One last good hit and Skulker's next destination would be the thermos.

"Tired yet, whelp? It'll make it easier to catch you!" Skulker growled.

"Not even close!" Danny snapped. "I could do this all night!"

Skulker grinned. "So could I."

The hunter flew straight for Danny, his winged rockets at full blast. Danny only had a second to dodge Skulker, and grabbed one of his wings. Using the momentum from the rockets, Danny spun around once, twice, three times before letting him go. Skulker shouted as his armored body hurtled through the sky, promptly slamming into a billboard. The colossal sign trembled on its stilts, the deafening sound of cracking metal shot through the air. Quickly, Danny flew closer, uncapping the Fenton Thermos and holding it steady. The billboard wobbled violently, as if ready to give at any minute. Skulker lay plastered against it like a bug on the windshield, and the thermos powered up in Danny's grip.

Before the familiar encasing bright blue beam appeared to snare the hunter within its depths, Skulker disappeared again. More in annoyance than shock, Danny looked around quickly, and then jumped as the billboard finally gave way. Cracks were spidering from where Skulker crashed to the edges, breaking off piece by piece as they plummeted to the ground, or on the rooftop that supported it. Danny was only glad no one was out this late in case they happened to pass by and would get crushed by the fallen debris.

The familiar, high pitched sound of a missile brought him back to focus, with just enough time to turn intangible as a missile bulleted right through him, and he swiveled around to face Skulker yet again. Although from the looks of it, Skulker's armor had suffered a lot more damage from smacking into the billboard. It wouldn't be long until the hunter was completely useless.

"Ya missed!" Danny called in his taunting tone. "What's the matter, Skulker? The Ghost Zone's greatest hunter can't even hit a kid!"

Skulker growled, yet said nothing in response. He brought his arms up, only to realize he was out of missiles. His momentary surprise was covered with a scowl as he tried his other weapon compartments, all equally empty. "This...could have gone better." He mumbled.

As Skulker was distracted by his loss of weapons, Danny uncapped the thermos again and aimed the beam of energy right at the hunter. Skulker shouted in rage as the blue-white light suctioned him in, his voice echoing as he disappeared completely inside the thermos.

"Actually," Danny said to himself, replacing the cap. "It worked out in my favor." He smiled, and checked the time on his phone. It was now 11:30 pm. "Oh, crud." He groaned, immediately barreling toward the direction of his home.


End file.
